Capture of al-Maniqa by Byzantines & allies

Summary:
Niketas of Mistheia and his allies prepared another campaign against al-Maniqa. He first captured Rafaniyya, together with 10,000 prisoners, who were given safe passage. He pulled down the town's six towers. He then besieged and captured Safita, rescuing a Byzantine commander imprisoned there, who had been trying to gain his freedom by ransom. At al-Maniqa he filled in the deep ravine in front of it, installed siege machines, breached the walls, demolished some towers and captured the fort after a 13-day siege with 810 prisoners. Among them were the wife and four daughters of Nasr ibn Musharraf, who abandoned them to their fate. Niketas burned the stone with which he had filled the ravine, making lime with which to repair the damaged walls. He established a garrison with equipment and supplies, and left 
Dates:
1031 December 1 
wife of Nasr ibn Musharraf al-Rawadifi (Anonyma 190)
  • Was taken prisoner when Niketas 102 captured the fort of al-Maniqa: in association with Anonymae 105 (on Wednesday kanun al-awwal of the year 1343, in the middle of du al-higgah of the year 422 (1 December 1031):يوم الأربعاء أوّل كانون الأول سنة 1343 وهو النصف من ذى الحجّة سنة 422) وأسر منه ثمانمائة وعشرة أنفس منهم حرمة نصر بن مشرّف وأربع بنات له Yahya al-Antaki 512
four daughters of Nasr ibn Musharraf al-Rawadifi (Anonymae 105)
  • Were taken prisoner when Niketas 102 captured the fort of al-Maniqa: in association with Anonyma 190 (on Wednesday kanun al-awwal of the year 1343, in the middle of du al-higgah of the year 422 (1 December 1031):يوم الأربعاء أوّل كانون الأول سنة 1343 وهو النصف من ذى الحجّة سنة 422) وأسر منه ثمانمائة وعشرة أنفس منهم حرمة نصر بن مشرّف وأربع بنات له Yahya al-Antaki 512
Byzantine commander imprisoned at Safita (Syria) (Anonymus 570)
  • Imprisoned by the Muslims at Safita, he offered a ransom in order to be set free, was granted many honours by the (Arab) commander of the fortress, but was rescued by Niketas 102 who besieged Safita (:) واستخلص منه رئيسًا كان المسلمون أسروه وبذل فى نفسه جملة كثيرة ... Yahya al-Antaki 512
Nasr ibn Musharraf, Arab opponent of Antioch (Mousaraph 101)
  • When the army of Niketas 102 attacked al-Maniqa he abandoned the fort (where his wife and daughters were captured) (:) وكان هو قد خرج عن الحصن عند ورود العسكر Yahya al-Antaki 514
  • Faced with the advance of a large army under Pinzarach 101 and his ally Theoktistos 101, he abandoned the fort of Menikos, which Romanos 3 had ordered Theoktistos to capture, and he was captured and killed in the region of Tripoli (:) περὶ τὰ ὅρια Τριπόλεως συσχεθεὶς ἀνῃρέθη Skylitzes 383.84-86
Niketas of Mistheia, doux of Antioch (Niketas 102)
  • Set fire to the ravine which he had filled-in turning thus the stones he had thrown in into lime with which he repaired the damaged walls (of al-Maniqa), secured the fortifications, established a garrison with equipment and supplies, and left (:) وألقى القطبان ... النار فى ذلك الوادى ... Yahya al-Antaki 514
  • Filled in the deep ravine before al-Maniqa, installed siege machines on top, breached the walls demolishing several towers, and captured it after a 13-day siege taking 810 prisoners including the family of Mousaraph 101 (Anonyma 190, Anonymae 105) (on Wednesday kanun al-awwal of the year 1343, in the middle of du al-higgah of the year 422 (1 December 1031):يوم الأربعاء أوّل كانون الأول سنة 1343 وهو النصف من ذى الحجّة سنة 422) ثمّ نازل حصن المنيقة ... وفتحه قهرًا بعد منازلته إيّاه ثلثة عشر يومًا ... وأسر منه ثمانمائة وعشرة أنفس منهم حرمة نصر بن مشرّف وأربع بنات له Yahya al-Antaki 512
  • Marched against al-Maniqa but attacked first and captured Rafaniyya together with 10,000 prisoners to whom he granted safe passage, pulled down its 6 towers, then besieged Safita rescuing a commander (Anonymus 570) held there, and attacked al-Maniqa (:) وعاد نيقيطا ... غازيًا الى حصن المنيقة وقصد أوّلاً رفنيّة ... ففتح أبرجتها وعدّتها ستّة ... وأخذ جميع من فيها بالأمان من القتل وكان عددهم زهاء عشرة آلاف انسان وأخرب سائر الأبرجة الى الأرض وسار ... ونازل حصن صافيتا ... واستخلص منه رئيسًا كان المسلمون أسروه Yahya al-Antaki 512